Improvement in thrashing-machines



E. s. SNYDER. Thrashing Machine.

Patented June 111, 1850.

N PETERS; Phomumo n her. Washington v.4:

hvrrr; TATES Ariana Fries,

ELISI'IA S. SNYDER, OF OIIARLESTOIVN, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THRASHlNG-MACHlNES.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELISI-IA S. SNYDER, ofCharlestown, Jefferson county, and State of Virginia, have invented anew and useful improvement, being a Machine for Thrashing, Separating,Vinnowing, Elevating, and ging Grain; and I do hereby declare the fol--lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operationthereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making part of this specification.

Figure l a top View or plan ofthemachine. Fig. 2 isa side elevation ofthe same, the elevator being exposed. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section onthe dotted plane m in of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinalsection on the dotted plane a z of Fig. Fig. 5 is an elevation of one ofthe rods of adjustivc teeth detached from the concave, in order to showthe rela tive position of teeth thereon. Fig. 6 is a plan of one of theteeth. Fig. 7 is a plan of the wire guard, to cover the opening in thecylinder and fan-case. Fig. 8 is a plan of the curved spring rack orgrating.

Similar letters on the several figures refer to corresponding parts.

The frame A, the shoe B, containing the riddle and screen 0 D andseparator E, the fan F, the cog-wheels G H, and pinions I J,andpulleyK,consitutingthepropellingpower, and the endless band L anddriving-pulley M on the cylinder-shaft N, may be made and arranged asrepresented orin any other convenient way.

The improvements that I have invented consist in making thethrashingcylinder with curved wings inside the cylinder and moving withit, and so formed as to act as a fan for the purpose of drawing the dustfrom the hop per, wherein the feeder stands, and from the upper part ofthe machine, and blowing or forcing it out with the chaff, or through asuitble way formed in some convenient part of the machine, and'forforcing currents of air through the spaces between the ordinary riddleand screen, to carry off the dust, chaff, and other filth mixed with thewheat as the latter passes through the separator and riddle and over thescreen,the air being drawn in at one end of the cylinder and forced outat the other end, and thence driven horizontally or obliquely, or

in any required direction through the separating and cleaning part ofthe machine; also,

in forming the concave in which the cylinder revolves of adj ustive staror other shaped teeth, perforated in the center and strung upon rodssecured in the timbers of the frame by nuts or other means, so that whena point or protuberance of any one of the teeth wears off or becomesbroken it can be turned onthe rod and again secured by the nuts.Likewise, in forming a spring-grating for separating the straw from thegrain before passing onto the separator, and arranging the same in thespace between the concave and the separator; also, the manner ofcombining and arranging a rockshaft, arms, and connecting-rod {forincreasing or diminishing the motion of the shoe containing theseparator; also, the arrangement of a vibrating rack at the end of theseparator for throwing the straw off at the rear of the machine; also,combining an elevator with the separator for raising and dropping thegrain after leaving the screen into an inclined spout, where it issubjected to the action of another current of air, by which theremaining dust is blown from it previous to its descent into the bag orreceiver; and, also, in the employment of a wire guard or screen toprevent the en trance of straw, sticks, stones, and other extraneousmatters into the center of the cylinder. 7

The cylinder for thrashing the grain from the straw is composed of twoopen or skeleton heads, 0 0, having any required number of heaters, 1arranged over their. peripheries and let into notches in the same, andsecured thereto by strong iron bands or rings a, and armed with teeth orpins in the usual manner, and lined on the inside by a cylinder ofsheetiron, 0, wood, or other suitable material, open at both ends,inwhieh the curved wings Qare placed and secured for producing thecurrents of airthrough the same, and thence through the separator E, theshaft N passing through the center of said heads 0 and turning inbearings or a cross-sill and a cap of the frame, and

being provided with suitable pulleys, M S, to-

receive the band L, leading to the propellingpower, and a band, T,leading to a pulley, R, on the crank-shaft U, for shaking the separatorE, and a pulley, XV, for a strap, X, that leads to a pulley, Y, on theupper end of the elevator'shaft Z. The concave in which the cylinderrcvolves, and between which the straw' is carried by the rotation of thecylinder, may

be said to consist of a series of star or other shaped teeth, b, havingopenings in their center, and strung or secured upon rods d, ar-

ranged in a circle concentric to that of the cylinder in such manner asto present alternate concave and convex surfaces, against which thestraw is forced and carried over the entire surface thereof, by which acomplete and thorough separation of the grain from the straw is producedwithout breaking or injuring the grain. These peculiar-shaped teeth I)are confined upon the rods (Z in such manner as to admit of beingadjusted or turned should it so happen that one of the points orprotuberances thereon shall have been broken or worn off, in order tosupply its place by another point or protuberance, by simply looseningthe nut on the rod (1, on which it is confined, and turning the toothtill another point or protuberance thereon shall project adjacent to thecylinder,

and thus the protuberances of the concave are always regular and uniformin relation to the pins of the heaters P, which are made to pass betweenthe spaces formed horizontally by the points or protuberances of theteeth. The ends of the rods- (2, on which the adjustive teeth areconfined, are provided with screwthreads, to receive nuts or burrs c,which respectively screw upon and against the top and bottom of thecasing of the concave, by which the teeth I) are held thereon, one uponand against the other, so that they cannot be deranged or turned on therod by the resistance of the straw during the operation. Thispeculiarly-constructed concave of many-pointed or star-shaped adjustiveteeth possesses advantages that may be readily seen, and presents asurface in connection with the thrashing-cylinder that cannot fail toeffect a complete separation of the grain from the straw, and at thesame time clear itself of obstructions, and prevents any strawaccumulating around the teeth thereof.

The springgrating for partially separating the grain from the strawbefore passing on to the separator consists of a series of wire curvedrods or bars, f, arranged parallel to each other, and having their endssecured into bars or strips 9. g This spring grating or rack is placedin the cylinder-case, or space between the cylinder and separator, insuch a manner as to present a, spring-concave adjacent to the cyl inder,against which the straw and grain are thrown by the cylinder afterhaving been thrashed, by which the grain is partially separated from thestraw, (instead of passing the whole mass on to the separator, asheretofore,) by which the separation of the grain from the straw isrendered more effectual and in less time than'is usually required, thespring-grating beingso arranged in connection with the concave ofadjustive teeth as to partially separate the grain from the straw beforebeing thrown upon the vibrating separator. This feature in themachine'-ViZ., that of producing a partial separation of the grain fromthe straw in its passage to the vibrating separatoris deemed importantand useful, as it not only facilitates the separation, but saves much ofthe grain that otherwise would pass off at the end of the separator withthe straw.

The manner of increasing and diminishing the motion of the separator, inorder to throw or feed the straw over its inclined perforated and gratedbars faster or slower, according to the state thereof, is produced asfollows,to wit; I arrange a rock-shaft, h, horizontally and transversely beneath theinner end of the separator E, (whose gudgeons turn inbearings in the. frame,) and connected to the separator by two arms, 1projecting therefrom near the ends thereof, and from the center of saidrock-shaft there projects downward an arm, j, provided with holes, towhich is attached, by a pin, Z, a connecting-rod, m, which is fixed toand-receives a vibratory motion from a crank, n,

on a shaft, U, secured in bearings in the frame nearly midway betweenthe axis of the thrashing-cylinder and rockshaft ii, there being also apulley, R, on said crank-shaft U, to receive a band, T, from the pulleys on the cylindershaft N. It will be apparent that by withdrawing thepin Z and moving the end of the connectingrod nearer to or farther fromthe rock-shaft h, and securing the pin Zin any one of the holes inthen-rm j, that the sweep or movement of the arms 6 2' will be increasedor diminished, and thus will the vibratory movement of the separator beincreased or diminished to accomplish the object before mentioned, theincreased or diminished movement of the separator corresponding in its,ef feet to the condition of the straw, and necessarily facilitates athorough separation.

The vibrating hand or rake placed directly below the discharging end ofthe separator, for the purpose of throwing the straw to a distance fromthe end of the same, consists of a shaft or bar, q, placed horizontallyand transversely at the end of the frame and secured in bearings fixedthereto, from which project outwardly fingers or bars r r of a suitablelength; and from this shaft also projects upward through a mortise, s,in the bottom board of the separator, an arm, t, which serves as anattachment thereto, by which the shaft is rocked as the separator isvibrated.

The elevator a, combined with the separator, v

is placed vertically in a suitable case, 12, in such a position as toreceive the grain as it is discharged from the inclined screen D, andelevate it to a branch discharging-spout, Km, to the mouth w, Fig. 2, ofwhich the bag or grainreceiver is attached. Intersectin thisdischarging-spout 10 there is a horizontal spout, 00, leading from thefan-ease below the cylin-.

der, through which a current of air constantly passes, meeting the grainas it is discharged, and subjecting it to another effectual blowing orcleaning, by which all the remaining dust and lighter particles areblown through the opening yinto the air, while the grain descends to thebag through an openingin the spout w,

The shaft 2 of the conveyer or elevator u, e'X- vator a.

In order to prevent the entrance of straw, sticks, and other substancesto the interior of the thrashing-cylinder, which might by accident bethrown upon the top during the operation of the machine, and at the sametime not impede the admission of air'therein for the purpose stated, Iplace over theopening in the case, directly over the upper end of thecylinder, a wire screen consisting of a circular hoop, a", provided withparallel wire rods a, said hoop being sufficiently deep to allow thepulley WV to revolve therein, the strap there from passing through slitsin said hoop, and leading to the pulley Y. r

The operation of the several parts having been described in connectionwith the construction thereof, a few words will suffice in order to amore clear understanding of the same. Ihe machine being put in motion byany adequate power applied to the gears G H I K L, the feeder standingin the hopper Z takes a bundle of straw and unties it, and places itupon the inclined conduct-ingboard b" and feeds it to the cylinder ofbeaters, which, revolving at a quick speed, strikes and carries itthrough and between the teeth of the concave, and thence throws itviolently against the spring-concave, by which the grain, after havingbeen severed from the straw, is partly separated from the straw andchaff, and by the rotation of the cylinder is thrown upon the separator,where it is separated in the usual manner and dropped upon the riddleand screen, and subjected to a full current of wind down through thecylinder by thecurved wings and from the fan, when it is discharged intothe trough T to be elevated, and subjected to another current of winddirectly from the fan F in its descent to the bag or receiver.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my machine, whatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Surrounding the twisted wings with an imperforated case, and placingthe same inside the thrashing-cylinder, the whole revolving together inthe manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. Constructing the concave of adjustive star or other shaped teethattached to rods fastened to the frame, substantially as described andset forth in the specification.

Disclaimer. 'I am aware that such teeth have been used in the throat ofa feeding apparatus of a corn-sheller to aid in feeding, and therefore Ionly claim them when used for the rubbing-surface of the concave.

3. Placing the curved spring-rack between the concave of adjustive teethand the vibrating separator in the manner and for the pun posedescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name before twosubscribing witnesses.

ELISHA S. SNYDER.

, Vitnessesi WM. P. ELLIOT, LUND Wnsnnve'rov.

